World Bank and conservation of natural resources
The World Bank, established in 1944, focuses on poverty reduction through financial and technical support, particularly for developing countries. A significant aspect of its mission involves the conservation of natural resources, as many impoverished nations face challenges not due to a scarcity of resources but a "resource curse," where abundant resources hinder economic diversification. The impact of climate change further exacerbates these issues, making sustainable management of natural resources crucial for the livelihoods of vulnerable populations.
To address these challenges, the World Bank emphasizes sustainable development strategies in four key areas: forests, desertification, water, and biodiversity. Its approach includes community-level programs and partnerships across sectors, introducing new technologies like biofuels to enhance agricultural productivity. However, the World Bank's past policies, especially the "Washington Consensus" model, have sparked controversy over issues of access to resources, such as privatization of water, which can limit availability for the poor.
In recent decades, the World Bank has shifted towards promoting "good governance" to improve resource management by enhancing transparency and public participation. While it recognizes the importance of power dynamics in resource management, critics argue that its standardized reforms may not sufficiently address the unique needs of diverse contexts, often prioritizing economic growth over long-term ecological sustainability.
Subject Terms
World Bank and conservation of natural resources
- DATE: Established 1945
The World Bank has played an active role in the development, use, and conservation of natural resources, such as forests and water, in developing countries. By providing financial and technical assistance, it aims to reduce global poverty by promoting better use of natural resources. It also helps developing countries adapt to the threat of climate change.
Background
The World Bank is also known as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. It was created after the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944. Its original goal was to rebuild international economic systems after World War II. Its focus shifted to helping developing countries with the stated goal of poverty reduction by offering financial, institutional, and technical support.
Impact on Resource Use
The World Bank suggests that poor countries have suffered from chronic poverty not because of a lack of natural resources but as a result of a “resource curse”—they lack the incentives to diversify their economies because of the abundance of natural resources. Poor management, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of know-how are also cited as causes of poverty. change has posed further threats to developing countries, because poor people rely heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods. More episodes of flood and drought, owing to anthropologically induced climatic variability, will severely affect their survival. Because of this background, integrating natural resources into sustainable development has become the World Bank’s key strategy in rural development and environmental conservation.
To achieve sustainable natural resources management, the World Bank focuses on four main areas: forests, desertification, water, and biodiversity. While many programs take place at the community level, the World Bank also promotes crosscutting and cross-sectoral interventions at both national and international levels through public-private partnerships and civil society programs. The World Bank also introduces new technologies, such as biofuels, to help developing countries raise agricultural productivity and capitalize on the rising commodity price levels.
In the 1980s, the World Bank adopted the “Washington Consensus” model of development to privatize natural resources, such as water. It argued that the state was too weak and too inefficient to manage water resources. Based on the theory defining water as an economic good and requiring users to pay for water, water is supplied, delivered, and privatized through market-based mechanisms and public-private partnerships. Such an approach to managing natural resources has caused controversies, however. Many poor people are denied access to clean water because they cannot afford it. The policies of deregulation and liberalization of markets are also blamed for neglecting issues such as equity and long-term ecological sustainability.
Since the 1990s, the World Bank has promoted the concept of “good governance.” It blames corruption and weak institutional support for the mismanagement of natural resources in developing countries. To combat corruption, it promotes transparency, accountability, and public participation. To strengthen capacity building, it forms organizations, such as water users, associations and village forestry committees, to manage resources. The World Bank is praised for acknowledging the role of power in managing natural resources, but it is criticized for offering a “one-size-fits-all” approach to institutional reforms and for overemphasizing economic growth over long-term resource conservation.
The World Bank was praised for developing important datasets to drive conservation efforts. In 2022, these reports involved data from fish, plants, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. These were used to create a database of habitat maps that covered more than 90,000 species.
Bibliography
"Revisiting Protected Areas for Biodiversity Conservation." World Bank Blogs, 15 Oct. 2024, blogs.worldbank.org/en/developmenttalk/revisiting-protected-areas-for-biodiversity-conservation. Accessed 29 Dec. 2024.
"Securing Our Future Through Biodiversity." World Bank Group, 7 Dec. 2022, www.worldbank.org/en/news/immersive-story/2022/12/07/securing-our-future-through-biodiversity. Accessed 29 Dec. 2024.